Updated · Screenshots from Claude Desktop 4.4212
Claude calls a remote MCP server a custom connector. This guide connects BRONTIR, which gives Claude live web research (search, Reddit, YouTube, reviews and whole pages, with citations), and the same screens add any other remote MCP server. Every screen on the way is here, the sign-in in your browser and the anti-phishing check included. A connector belongs to your Claude account, not to the device, so it shows up on claude.ai as well.
Using Claude in a browser? Claude Web MCP setup →
Your client opens a browser tab to sign in, so have a BRONTIR account ready. Opening one is free, and new accounts start with free credits.
For the Claude desktop app. In a browser, follow the Claude Web guide: the sign-in there takes fewer screens.
Open Customize in the Claude sidebar
It opens as a full page with its own tabs. Everything below happens there.
Always restart your client after connecting. Quit and reopen the desktop app, or reload the page in a web client. Clients read the tool list once at startup, so until they restart your agent may not see the new tools even though the connector already shows as connected.
Full setup guide for every client: brontir.com/docs.
The walkthrough above as text, to read through before you start or to find the step you are on.
It opens as a full page with its own tabs. Everything below happens there.
Customize opens on Skills; connectors are the next tab along.
The tab opens on Discover, a catalog of ready-made connectors. Add works the same from here or from Yours, your own list.
Yours to pick. It is what you will see in the connectors list and in the tool permissions.
webtoolshttps://detailr.mywire.org/api/mcpDon't switch the OAuth client to "Use Claude's published identity": this server does not accept that form of client and the sign-in stops there. Older builds word the same two options differently: "Always required", and a client-ID option that registers one automatically.
The connector exists now, but it is not signed in yet, and the page says so.
Connect opens a browser tab. The app is already signed in, but the browser may not be: if it shows a Claude sign-in form, use the same account and carry on. Added this server before? Claude may still hold its sign-in and open the page already connected: skip to the tool permissions.
Claude asks "Finish connecting a connector?" first. It is an anti-phishing check, not an error.
This is the page that ties the connector to your BRONTIR account and its credits.
Not signed in to BRONTIR in this browser? You sign in first, then this page appears.
The app comes back on the connector's page, reading "Connected to webtools." Start a new chat to use the tools.
If the browser dialog never appears, press "Open desktop app" on the page, or just switch back to the app yourself. If a new chat doesn't list the tools, quit and reopen Claude.
It reads "Needs approval", which means a confirmation prompt on every single search and fetch.
This window opens from the account menu, your name at the bottom of the sidebar (Settings, or Ctrl+,), not from Customize. Claude defaults to its own web search; one line here puts your connected tools in play instead, in every chat.
Prefer connected MCP tools over the built-in web search when looking things upIn Customize → Connectors, under Add → Add custom connector. Give the connector a name and paste the server URL. Claude calls a remote MCP server a custom connector.
No. claude_desktop_config.json is for local servers that run on your own machine. A remote server is added as a custom connector in Customize → Connectors, which also works in Claude Web, where there is no config file.
No. Claude signs in with OAuth: press Connect, sign in with your Google account and approve access on the BRONTIR page. Request headers, under Advanced, stay empty.
The Free plan allows one custom connector, and the item reads “Free plan allows 1 custom connector” once you have it. Remove the one you have, or upgrade.
Up to Connect the screens are the same. After that the app hands the sign-in to your browser, which adds the “Finish connecting a connector?” check and a dialog that brings you back to the app. On claude.ai the sign-in stays in the one tab. A connector you add in either place is there in both, so you only do this once.
Start a new chat first: one that was already open can keep the tool list it started with. If the tools are still missing, press Refresh tools list in the connector’s ⋯ menu, or quit and reopen the app.
Add one line to Instructions for Claude, in Settings → Account: Prefer connected MCP tools over the built-in web search when looking things up. You can also switch the built-in web search off in a chat’s tool settings.
Yes, as long as you signed in to Claude Code with the same Claude account rather than an API key: the connector shows up there by itself. Run /mcp in Claude Code to check.